Search - Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack Dejohnette :: Inside Out

Magic in London.

Lord Chimp | Monkey World | 12/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a damn good piano trio album. While not as "out there" as some of the free jazz you may find, the Keith Jarrett trio captures both accessibility and some very profound free moments. This album is essential if only for the first and third tracks, where the improvisation carries the musicians into some downright profound sonic bliss. The first song, "From the Body" is a definite high point. In the beginning of its 21 minutes, Keith Jarrett plays a simple, catchy, odd-timed modal melody. The others join, immediately cohering their minds to create an open, extra-sensory means of communication. Quite simply, it's uncanny how well they play together, their collegiality informing every note they play. For nearly 12-minutes they carry on without a dull moment, but it only gets better. Towards the end it shifts into a subdued, high speed shimmering pointillist whirl and it's spine-tinglingly energetic. It swells to Keith Jarrett bringing down a majestic piano performance of classical power.Then there is "341 Free Fade", my other favorite piece on the album. It opens with Peacock's heavy solo, then the others join him and they weave through a telepathically flowing jazz improv. It gradually shifts into more abstract territory, finally becoming an avant-sounding clatter that carries on for eight minutes or so, decidedly unjazzy -- un*anything* -- with DeJohnette's drums clacking, Jarrett's atonal piano plinking in odd time signatures, and Peacock's bass erratically thumping and buzzing. The most intense part is near the end where Jarrett and Peacock approach a nearly post-minimalist restraint of notes, with the spaces of silence between them just as powerful as any sound, all the while DeJohnette's high-hat hisses a steady 4/4 pulse while a continuous snare buzz radiates through the otherworldly ambience created.The rest is very good also. I won't describe the pieces individually but they are excellent - however, the improvisation doesn't carry them into the exciting realms of the pieces I described above. "When I Fall In Love" is not improvised -- it's a gentle jazz standard that is the 'weakest' song on the album in and of itself, although it is a nice way to end the CD."

This is it,

Terry Campbell | Boston, Ma | 02/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you follow Keith Jarrett, I don't really understand at how this album could be a dissapointment, or 'unexpected'. I've spent weeks straight with this album, and it's beautiful. You can hear how completely involved each player is in the direction and expression of the music, it goes where it wants to and you can hear that. It's collective freedom. I wont get started about the dejohnette intro to Inside Out, I'd pay the price of this cd just for the title track."